Skin peeling big time on RT

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wiccan_chicken

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My girl's skin is peeling pretty heavily on her neck and feet. I have been soaking her every day just to make sure her skin stays moisturized. I will be adding ground up carrot to this soak to hopefully get her to eat.

Can anyone help with what is wrong with her?

Thanks.
 

BeeBee*BeeLeaves

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Add pureed carrots or just get a jar of baby food. From what I have read on this forum, the vitamin A shots that are administered by some vets can sometimes have that skin peeling side effect. Has she had a shot recently? Also, I wonder if it is a Vitamin A thing if carrots will be too much more Vitamin A and be more of an overload. If she is not eating, then maybe a squash baby food would be better? Also, when they get wormed they go off food for a bit, so maybe that too has happened? Hopefully more experienced keepers will help soon.
 

wiccan_chicken

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BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:
Add pureed carrots or just get a jar of baby food. From what I have read on this forum, the vitamin A shots that are administered by some vets can sometimes have that skin peeling side effect. Has she had a shot recently? Also, I wonder if it is a Vitamin A thing if carrots will be too much more Vitamin A and be more of an overload. If she is not eating, then maybe a squash baby food would be better? Also, when they get wormed they go off food for a bit, so maybe that too has happened? Hopefully more experienced keepers will help soon.

I was going to call the vet right now that looked her over and ask just that! Thank you!
If they did give her the shot, I'll have mom get the squash baby food tomorrow instead of the carrots like I asked. Thank you again now I know just what to ask!
 

wiccan_chicken

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mctlong said:
Can you post a pic?

Some scale shedding is normal in Russians.

I got the best I could, her other leg and neck I could not capture for the life of me. All shedding places are circled in purple.

The huge scale on her cheek is peeling off but she had just had a nice soak and had rubbed it back into place.

Vodka-peeling-face.jpg
Vodka-peeling-leg.jpg
 
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Yvonne G

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I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing "big time" peeling here.
 

wiccan_chicken

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Guess it was a false alarm. It came on literally today. I haven't owned a tortoise in years, so I'm just in the middle of the noob jitters.
Her neck and face are what's worrying me with the huge scale and the peeling on her neck looking like a beard.

Would it be alright to get the carrot baby food or should I stick with squash? Mom said she was going to pick me some up, and the vet didnt call me back before they closed.
 

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I don't think the baby food soaks are necessary, unless she's not eating. This shedding looks totally normal! Just keep up with the baths and hydration. Do NOT try and pull/pick the skin off - Be patient and let it come off naturally :) You could accidentally tear the new skin underneath.
 

wellington

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I don't know about Russians or torts that shed, if they go off food while they are shedding. I know quite a few reptiles don't eat while shedding. Maybe someone with experience in tort shedding can answer that?
 

mctlong

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Is this the same tort you got on Thursday? If so, it hasn't been that long. Give her some time to settle in and she'll start eating on her own. Its common for them to take a week or so to start eating after entering a new home environment.

She's a gorgeous, healthy-looking animal. :)
 

tyrs4u

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I have a male & female currently shredding excessively. They are awesome. But when they shed it can be concerning. However you have a cute chunky healthy kid there... Recommendations ... 10 minutes daily in a different soaking bowl use Shed Ease and bathing (temperature) water. Not Luke. Otherwise the shedding just sits on them which is fine but then that means you softly rub it away while petting. Or just soak longing with a hotter temp and everything will correct itself.... Blessed be!
 

Jd3

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No reason to use shed ease here. Soaks and it'll take care if itself. This is seriously just fine.

Let the new guy settle in and take it easy.
 

tyrs4u

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True,,,, but with Shed Ease I've noticed the RT's shed 'faster'....
I just try to give people advice on 'quick ways' until they pick up whats best for them.
My other Torts shed naturally... But Russians can use the help... =]
 

GeoTerraTestudo

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If she's a recent import, it could be a reaction to stress. If there's not enough moisture in her enclosure, it could be due to dryness. If she had overdosed on vitamin A from an injection, she would be peeling a heckuva lot more than that (that can be lethally dangerous, but believe me, you would know if it had been that).

However, if you've had her for a while, her environment is good, and she's otherwise healthy, then it's probably just a growth spurt. Unlike birds and mammals, reptiles outgrow their skin, and must shed it as their body gets bigger. Snakes are famous for shedding an entire layer of skin all at once, but lizards and chelonians just shed several pieces of skin at a time.

Actually, you can tell whether it's due to dryness or growth. Dry skin is thin, whitish or translucent in color, and comes off in small flakes (almost like dandruff, except a bit bigger). In contrast, skin shed to accommodate growth is a bit thicker, normal in color, and comes off in somewhat larger strips. Either way, no big deal. If it's dry skin, just provide more moisture and bathing. But if it's due to growth, then that just means you're doing something right, and all is well. :)
 

lynnedit

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Yes, she actually looks pretty good: alert, not too thin, etc.
The strained carrot or baby food soaks certainly won't hurt, but you probably don't need to worry about them unless she goes a lot longer w/o eating.
Focus on the soaks (daily for now) and good enclosure conditions.
Make sure you have a good thermometer for measuring accurate temps. It is VERY important to get the basking side up to about 95F so they can digest, and then want to eat again.
An infared 'point and take' thermometer is great, or a digital thermometer with a wire probe that you can move to different locations.

With soaks and good temps, your tortoise will be eating soon.
Meanwhile, are there some untreated areas of your yard, or a school, or meadow where you can search for tortoise friendly weeds? Some torts just won't eat store bought, at least at first.
http://russiantortoise.net/edible_plants.htm
 

wiccan_chicken

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Pokeymeg said:
I don't think the baby food soaks are necessary, unless she's not eating. This shedding looks totally normal! Just keep up with the baths and hydration. Do NOT try and pull/pick the skin off - Be patient and let it come off naturally :) You could accidentally tear the new skin underneath.

She wasn't eating, so I bought the baby food to soak her in but it looks like she ate! Might soak her in baby food just to help replenish her stores since she hasn't eaten in almost a week.

I definatley choose to leave the skin on. I just don't want to chance it. Thanks!


mctlong said:
Is this the same tort you got on Thursday? If so, it hasn't been that long. Give her some time to settle in and she'll start eating on her own. Its common for them to take a week or so to start eating after entering a new home environment.

She's a gorgeous, healthy-looking animal. :)

This is the one and only! I started feeling concerned because it's been a while, and I know these guys need to eat at least once a day.

Good news is, she ate today! No food trampled, nothing, a leaf half eaten and everything.

Right when I buy the baby food XD


lynnedit said:
Yes, she actually looks pretty good: alert, not too thin, etc.
The strained carrot or baby food soaks certainly won't hurt, but you probably don't need to worry about them unless she goes a lot longer w/o eating.
Focus on the soaks (daily for now) and good enclosure conditions.
Make sure you have a good thermometer for measuring accurate temps. It is VERY important to get the basking side up to about 95F so they can digest, and then want to eat again.
An infared 'point and take' thermometer is great, or a digital thermometer with a wire probe that you can move to different locations.

With soaks and good temps, your tortoise will be eating soon.
Meanwhile, are there some untreated areas of your yard, or a school, or meadow where you can search for tortoise friendly weeds? Some torts just won't eat store bought, at least at first.
http://russiantortoise.net/edible_plants.htm

I just got the baby food today so I was going to soak her with squash.

When I get money, I was going to go to Home Depot and get a wireless digital thermometer.

There is a strip of untreated yard. I can't take her in the front yet because though I told dad not to, he sprayed the yard for weeds when I told him I'd have a tort to eat them!

I salvaged some Dandelion seeds from my boyfriends yard, and picked some weeds for her, which she is getting tonight if she chooses to want to eat again!

She ate today :) Which has me happy because I was hoping she wouldn't go much longer without food. I don't know when, as I threw it in there this morning so she had it if she wanted it. If I had known she was going to eat I would have added a pinch of multivitamins.


GeoTerraTestudo said:
If she's a recent import, it could be a reaction to stress. If there's not enough moisture in her enclosure, it could be due to dryness. If she had overdosed on vitamin A from an injection, she would be peeling a heckuva lot more than that (that can be lethally dangerous, but believe me, you would know if it had been that).

However, if you've had her for a while, her environment is good, and she's otherwise healthy, then it's probably just a growth spurt. Unlike birds and mammals, reptiles outgrow their skin, and must shed it as their body gets bigger. Snakes are famous for shedding an entire layer of skin all at once, but lizards and chelonians just shed several pieces of skin at a time.

Actually, you can tell whether it's due to dryness or growth. Dry skin is thin, whitish or translucent in color, and comes off in small flakes (almost like dandruff, except a bit bigger). In contrast, skin shed to accommodate growth is a bit thicker, normal in color, and comes off in somewhat larger strips. Either way, no big deal. If it's dry skin, just provide more moisture and bathing. But if it's due to growth, then that just means you're doing something right, and all is well. :)

She's a recent import, but everything is kept pretty warm and moist. I plan on changing to topsoil soon so I can grow plants in her enclosure and get rid of sand.

I think it is due to growth as the shedding is large and regularly colored. I don't know how it's growth seeing as she only started eating today XD


BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:
I'm just glad the big time was not quite so big time, like a reaction to a shot or something else. Phew. Yay! : )

Me too! Called the vet and he just said he made sure the animal was healthy that Reptmart does all their own deworming... Great now I have another call to make! XD
 
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